


at a crossroads

by gacrux



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Gen, if you don't think these two have epic feeling talks then i'm afraid you're wrong, set after they get to balbadd and are waiting for hakuryuu/judal to arrive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 07:30:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2684447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gacrux/pseuds/gacrux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aladdin, Morgiana, and the different ways of dealing with guilt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	at a crossroads

**Author's Note:**

> Very short, but I wanted to write something succinct about the guilt both Mor and Aladdin must be feeling over recent developments.

“Isn't it concerning,” Morgiana says one evening, seated next to him on the roof of the palace. “That Judar has such an interest in you?” 

Aladdin looks over at her, smiling faintly. If he's honest with himself, he's not sure. Judar is a variable in an unsolvable equation, no matter what the reason behind his interest; he's too wild, too unpredictable to factor. He's just so lost, so confused, even as a Magi, and it pains Aladdin to watch him make mistake after mistake, not knowing how much it's going to cost him in the end. It's hard to want to help him because Judar won't help himself, won't let anyone get past arms length, and it's impossible. It all so _impossible_.

“I'd prefer his interest on me than anyone else.” He tells her, thinking of Hakuryuu, of Sinbad, of Kouen. None of them seem to realize the minefield that Judar is, that one wrong step could lead him to killing them. He toys with them because he's bored, because he's lonely, because he wants to be anything but isolated and Aladdin understands. Aladdin can help him, god damn it, but Judar won't let him. 

Aladdin can see Morgiana watching him out of his periphery. He huffs.

“You worry too much, Mor. Judar can't kill me.” 

“And you sound too much like Alibaba. Also...” She wraps a warm arm over his shoulder, startling him. She's looking out over Balbadd, jaw set. “You can't fool me.” 

It's hard to remember, sometimes, that Morgiana is more perceptive than most. She's always been able to catch him out on things, right down to when he lies about how often he sleeps. She didn't used to call him out on it, but it seems that she's grown tired of keeping her concerns to herself. Aladdin leans his head back against the support of her forearm and smiles, brighter this time around.

“Thank you.” He tells her, and means it. 

She shakes her head.

“He's dangerous, Aladdin. Especially now that he and Hakuryuu...” The name sticks in her throat. Her arm tightens anxiously around his shoulders so he grabs her hand, trying not to feel too responsible. 

“I can handle Judar. I can, and I will. I'll save him.” He insists gently, shushing her when she goes to interject. “And together, we can stop Hakuryuu.”

Morgiana looks down at him and nods firmly. She's still tense though, shoulders hunched forward protectively. He nudges her slightly with his elbow to get her attention, not really smiling but not so sad anymore, either. 

“You can't fool me, Mor.” He says. They've known each other for years now, he knows her tells just as well as she knows his. Her eyes soften and he can see the regret there, and the pain, as clear as he can see the rebuilt slums from the golden roof of the palace.

She shakes her head again, lower lip caught between her teeth. 

“I shouldn't have let him go.” Morgiana says, clenching her white robes in her free hand. “This is my fault. I should have _listened_ to him, Aladdin.” 

He reaches out, carefully prying her fingers away from her clothing. She lets him guide her hand up, to point at the horizon, their fingers clasped together.

“That's where they'll be coming from. That's where we're going to stop them. No matter what happens, or who they've become. We won't let them do this.” He tells her. Her hand might be shaking, but so is his. “It's not your fault, Mor, and it's not over yet, okay? We will fix this.” 

She nods again, more convincingly this time, and ducks her head to the side. He guides their hands back down but doesn't let go, hoping that he can help by simply sharing the burden of feeling. Morgiana takes on too much responsibility, never lets anyone else in on it, either. If this is what she needs, then he'll do what he can because she's done the same for him all along.


End file.
